Eye for an Eye
by Emmsey Squire
Summary: “Hello, Holly? I have a favor.” Thousands of miles away, somewhere in the Earth’s mantle below Ireland, the Lower Element Police’s Captain Holly Short groaned, “Oh no, what did you do this time?”
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: quite short, but I'll update pretty soon. Hope you'll like it!

Disclaimer: I own nothing! but this plot of course...hehe.

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Fourteen-year-old Artemis Fowl is not a normal boy. On nights of full moon he…Oh wait, no, that's not it. Not a werewolf. Oh gosh, this is going to take some time…

It was on a rainy afternoon when our favourite genius was stuck with babysitting duty while Mister and Missus Fowl are out. He wanted to complain because he was so close to finishing authenticating a long lost painting by Leonardo da Vinci, but he didn't. It would make him sound foolish and childlike. He wouldn't want to do that, and especially not in front of his father.

"You know I can always lend a hand, Artemis, I can do much more than just double kick-flip the derrières of our enemies to the other side of the world." Butler, the great manservant, offered. Artemis chuckled at the thought.

"Well, I guess I can try to make the best of it," he brightened up a bit, "Yes…I have it! It's a grand opportunity to inquire my brothers' ability to perceive and their level of comprehension! This will be so much fun, father and I used to do this all the time!" he cheered.

"Now, now, Artemis, don't get too excited." Butler smiled as they made their way to the toddlers' room.

Artemis opened the door, and a scent of day-old jam welcomed him along with the voices of his brother, "Arty-mis look at me, look at me! I make big house for Myles!" grinned a two-year-old, jam smeared, diaper-less boy bashing a red plastic hammer at a piece of wood.

"That's very lovely Beckett! Have you lost your diaper again?" Artemis was giving a glass-breaking beam, large enough that it hurts. Beckett scowled at the mention of diapers; he did not like them very much.

"Arty-mis ok?" he asked innocently at his brother's outsized scary smile.

"Yes," Artemis immediately wiping the unnecessary expression off his face.

"Where is Myles?" he asked the young boy.

"Myles go bye-bye," the young boy answered.

"Go where?" Butler asked.

"Myles walk away, he say bye-bye," the young boy answered again.

Artemis paled, "No Beckett, Artemis no jokey-jokey. Where bye-bye Myles go? I mean, where did he went?...go?" he panicked.

"Beckett not joking," he screamed, "We was playing hidey go seek, Beckett in closet and Myles no find me. I go find him, hims walk away and say bye-bye!" he sobbed.

A million thoughts flickered through Artemis's mind, and all of them ended with the same two words: Opal Koboi.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Hey! So, I did not think I would update this fast, but I did! Yay! Excellent, hope you like this one as much as the last.

Disclaimer: Not my characters, just my plot. EOIN COLFER RULES!!! (wow, that was random...) :D

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The teenage genius took no longer than two seconds to think. (The first second for possible worst case scenarios, and another to devise a search plan.) "Butler, check the…" He didn't have to finish for Butler, because he was already sprinting full speed to the surveillance control tower. He knew if the little pixie did something to pass all the security, then she can hardly be thick enough to forget about erasing the camera footage of herself prancing through the manor. But he couldn't afford to miss any chances. Beckett was still crying by Artemis's leg. Artemis didn't blame him, to be in the midst of a crisis and have no clue about it is certainly frustrating and disappointing. He took Beckett in his arms, and with a gloomy smile, he said, "So Beckett, how about we continue that game of hide and go seek?"

His parents rushed in the room after a couple of minutes, soaked in either rain or sweat, or both. "Butler called." His father confirmed briefly.

"Arty, tell us what happened." His mother asked wearily. She was still recovering from the so called "Spelltropy" disease.

With his gaze set down, and his head hung low, he did nothing but blink and breath for the first couple of moments. _Babysitting_, he thought furiously, _how hard is babysitting? Well it takes a real genius to mess it up._ "Myles is missing." He simply said without looking up.

"Any leads, son?" his father's voice rather urgent.

"Yes actually, more than the fingers I can count on my hand. But there's one that predominantly stands out from the rest." His face now stone hard, without any expressions.

"Oh no," his father reading his mind.

"I'm afraid so," he answered softly.

"Well not if _we_ can do something about it. I'll go and contact my colleagues; and should your friends be happy to help out, then we shall have a meeting in the conference room shortly." He promptly nodded to his son and strode off to his study. Artemis felt calmer than before, though he would never admit it to anyone, and you probably couldn't tell either. He liked it when his father took charge, everything always seem orderly.

He went to his own study and shut the door behind him. Making sure that the curtains are drawn and the soundproof barrier was on, he turned the ring on his finger. It was actually an intelligently disguised fairy communicator, and it worked like a phone. "Hello，Holly? I have a favor…"


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Hey guys, sorry it took so long to post this up. (I had actually wrote this a couple of weeks ago, but time surprises us all.) You know how it is nearing the end of the school year, with teachers bugging you to hand in all your assignments. Some even gave out last minutes assignments because they don't have enough marks to fill the report card! So I've pretty much been stuck in a mountainous pile of homework these past few weeks. Anyways, hope you guys like this chapter! :D

Disclaimer: Not my charaters, just my plot that's extra coolio! (but saying "coolio" kind of ruins it, doesn't it? *laughs to herself*)

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"Hello, Holly? I have a favor."

Thousands of miles away, somewhere in the Earth's mantle below Ireland, the Lower Element Police's Captain Holly Short groaned, "Oh no, what did you do this time?"

"Nothing, it's Myles." he said. To Holly, Artemis sounded truly alike to a damsel in a terrible distress over the fairy communicator.

"Ooohhhh, I get it. The big brother needs a lesson on how to change diapers." Holly joked. The elfin twirled her Neutrino sidearm expertly in her hand. _It's sooo like Artemis to delay an unpleasant task for someone else to accomplish. _Then, _at least his brothers aren't dwarves. _

With furrowed brows, he sighed, "No Holly, this is serious."

"Oh," she stopped laughing at once; she knew this tone all too well. "When should I be over?" the elfin asked.

"Now…and be swift." he answered, and hung up. Staring at an encyclopedia step ladder reaching his bookshelf, _"Myles is potty trained,"_ he said to himself absent mindedly.

Then, after a few second, there was a faint tap on the window of his study. The teenager swiftly opened the curtain to reveal a creature no more than three feet tall standing on his windowsill. He lifted the glass divider, and graciously let the elf in. "Is that fast enough for you, Arty?" she smiled. "There shall be a meeting soon, but first, let's get you in disguise. All of my father's so-called close friends are just as trustworthy as me." he said with a small grin, remembering back to his first encounter with the fairies.

Holly quickly pulled on some human child's clothings, and a dark wig. The set had included a yellow organic cotton _Strawberry-Shortcake_ tee-shirt, blue jeans, _and Dora_ sandals, completed with a _Chauncey Musical Teddy Bear. _Artemis hastily made up the story that this was merely Myles and Beckett's friend, here for a play date. "Arty, this wig is itchy. How long have you had this for?" she said scratching ferociously away at her scalp, "And why in the world would you have little girl's clothings in your house?" Artemis was paying minimum attention to her questions, the only thing on his mind was his brother, so he answered without the usual twists and turns you'd have to take to comprehend his customary psycho-babble. "The twins like to play dress up sometimes. And as for the wig, you don't want to know."

"Do you really think this will work?"

Artemis looked up, "It has to, or is the _'I've got a disguised leprechaun in my conference room' _line more believable."

Holly chuckled gently. _Same old Artemis. _


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: Read, enjoy, and review!

Disclaimer: I owe no-thing

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"Holly, your ears."

"Very good, mud boy, elfin ears are pointed."

"No Holly, I meant, your ears." Artemis said while holding out a box of latex ears to Holly. The small girl obediently put on her ears. "You know I was on the internet the other day, and I find it quite amusing that humans would spend $29.95 for the ears of an elf, while the elf would do the same for a human ear," he chuckled to himself, "It's those stupid Americans, forever trapped in their world of fantasy made by Hollywood…that and plastic."

The rain had stopped now, and a lone bird was perched on a branch outside the teenager's window chirping its songs brightly to the world. A knock on the door sounded, followed by a deep, husky voice saying, "Artemis, you might want to see this." _Butler,_ he thought. "Come in old friend. I believe you have with you a ransom note from our mischievous little pixie?" Artemis was as calm as always. "Yes…sort of." He answered hesitantly. "Sort of? Honestly Butler, thank the heavens you are not an open-heart surgeon. Was the operation successful, doctor? Yes…sort of." Artemis teased. The big man handed to the boy a disk. The boy studied it intently, as if he could distinguish what was recorded in the disk just by applying his solid-steel gaze. The disk caught light from the window, and reflected Artemis's face across its smooth surface. _How much have you changed,_ he thought to himself, staring at his mismatching eyes. _If only…_ He cleared his face of all thoughts, and finally said, "Father will want to see this, he is in his study."

Far away, possibly underground, Opal watched all this with a big smile of satisfaction spread across her face. _This is only the beginning of the end, mud boy, s_he thought, and allowed for another wicked grin to takeover her face.

They made their way up to his father's study. Artemis Fowl Senior beat them to his door, and welcomed them in. "H-hello Holly," he stammered softly. "Mr. Fowl," she nodded politely, meeting his brief gaze. He sat down on his antique armchair. It was finely hand crafted in solid acacia wood with elegant foliate and shell like carvings, polished in striking dark walnut, on sturdy cabriole legs, beautiful velvet in a rich blue hue trimmed by brass nails. Definitely one of the earlier models. His hand firmly gripped the armrest, Artemis had noted. _Nervous of course, I can't bring myself to remember a time when he wasn't. _

"Father," Artemis handed him the disk and watched as his once strong father put it in the DVD player with trembling hands. _Where's the cold businessman I used to know? He would be more helpful than a worried father right now. I shall schedule a talk with this heartbroken fool I call my father; this is certainly not the best time for an emotional stroll down the memory lane. Must I always be the one to do things right?_ Artemis Fowl senior sat down once again, this time with an old man's sigh. Butler pressed play on the remote control which he held firmly in his hand; and the silent, dark plasma screen suddenly bursted to life.

The video showed a little boy sitting on a chair, as still as the dead…


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Here's to the many eager waiting readers. It was very hard to me to position myself in Opal's shoes, so I'm sorry if her lines might be OOC.

Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl. (ok, these are getting really annoying now, so I'll stop writing them for the rest of the chapters even if I still don't own Artemis Fowl.)

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The video showed a little boy sitting on a chair, as still as the dead. Folds of shadows draped over him, making it impossible to see any facial features. You might have very well thought he _was_ dead, if it had not been the slow, steady breathing you can hear. And it went on like this for what seems like hours, no movement, just the slow, raspy breaths of a toddler. Artemis Fowl Senior watched this with pained eyes. His breath was trembling with sadness. Nevertheless, he has succeeded in hiding the many sobs that should have, but didn't, escaped through his voice box. Then, the image changed and turned brighter, to show a malicious face of a pixie. "Oh, what have we here?" Though her voice presented a delighted, naïve personality, there's nothing that can mistake the hatred in her eyes. And what beautiful eyes she had.

"Depressed savages with a DVD player?" Her cold laughter rang in the air. "Well now, let's get down to business, shall we?" she did a contented sigh, "I have what you want, my dear Artemis, but do you have what I want?" Artemis raised a long thin brow. "No, I'm afraid cotton paper with fancy ink won't do this time. _I_ want a stone." Opal's smirk drowned in greed when she said the word _stone_. "It's a very special, and pretty stone might I add. The very same of the one that you have stolen off a tiara, with the help of a particular dwarf, approximately seven years ago." A faint train whistle sounded in the background. "And I want it now. It will go beautifully with my outfit as the Ruler of the Universe." _"The Ruler of the Universe?" _Mister Fowl mouthed with a puzzled face. But Artemis very well knew that Opal never had any plans to convert his diamond into an attractive ring. _To build a laser strong enough to destroy humankind in one blast perhaps, but never a useless fashion accessory. _Opal's face no longer held the insatiable grin; it had suddenly turned more towards a poignant expression.

"You have caused me great pain, mud boy. The world _could_ have been mine many years ago." A pause. "All in all, my beloved cardboard seahorses, as headless as they may be, will always be with me." Mister Fowl once again mouthed with a puzzled expression, "_headless cardboard seahorses?" _Then, Opal's face contorted with rage. "I have but only four words for you, _Fowl_," her voice sharp and shrilly, that it could easily cut a pretty pattern on your face, "I WILL NOT REST!" The screen blacked out, then played again from the beginning of the clip. Artemis sighed, _why must they all be so dramatic?_

By the end of the video clip, Mister Fowl was no longer an emotional wreck. "I have just developed a rather great disliking for one of your magical nymphs, Artemis." He said through furrowed brows.

"Pixies." Artemis corrected.

Artemis Senior laughed a short, barking laugh, "Yes, that too. Well how do we go about this? The first to come back with the head of the pixie be rewarded with fifty million Euros?"

"That can be arranged," Holly readied her Neutrino.

Artemis Senior laughed again, this time a big hearty chuckle, "Now your elfin friend, Artemis, I like."

Artemis did not smile, because he was hardly paying attention to the conversation anymore. Instead, he was gazing out the window, supervising the many over-sized, expensive-looking SUVs pulling up to their drive. Out came a couple dozens of old, but dangerous-looking gentlemen in dark, handsome suits. Accompanying beside each was, of course, their well-built bodyguards. "They are here, Father." Artemis declared formally.

Artemis Senior's head snapped up so quickly, that he could have gotten whiplash. "Then I shall welcome them in." The father said to his son.

"Wearing _that,_ Father?" Artemis gesture to him.

Artemis Senior laughed a big hearty chuckle the second time today, looking down at his poster paint stained trousers, and his "_Daddy is like Money, and Muney is Gud_" tee-shirt Beckett and Myles had made for him in pre-school. They had run out of letter Os, so they had to be creative.

"You may go and change into something more…suitable; and I will handle these fine gentlemen downstairs. Can you take care of Beckett, Holly? And act childlike while you're at it. Butler?" Artemis and Butler strode importantly to the main lobby.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's note: enjoy! (and review!)

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Holly scratched her head feverishly as she walked down the dim corridors. _Stupid wig_, she thought. She was to pretend to be one of the twins' human friends. _What a stupid plan_, she thought, _I could easily hide in the vents and shield myself while listening to their rescue plan. But nooo, Artemis just had to go ahead and dress me up like a human babe. _Something rustled to her left. Her reflexes carried out her well practiced routine of readying her Neutrino sidearm without the slightest thought. Her trained eyes scanned the suddenly ominous hallway. Ancient paintings of old Irish lords dominated both walls; multiple doors to her left and right were shut, as if concealing some sort of unlawful secret; and the single source of light was the petite chandelier hung on the forever-reaching high ceiling. Nonetheless, there was no one there.

Holly decided that it was just a false alarm, and should continue her way to Missus Fowl's room. As she turned to take her first step towards to room's direction, she started to choke. Her hand immediately flew to her tiny throat, as if it be of any help at all. She sank to her knees; with her back hunched, she continued to cough uncontrollably. She felt a tickle in her throat and was about to throw up when she coughed up a very damp, larger-than-average fly. She held the fly in her palm, and said between gasps for air, "You poor little devil! I almost killed you as you have almost killed me!" The fly fluttered away slowly and hesitantly as if to be careful not to fly down another person's esophagus. Holly didn't bother swatting the fly to her annoyance.

_No matter how big or small, the choice to live, be deserved to all. _One of the major commandments from The Book. She remembered. Then, _note to self: keep mouth closed to prevent suffocation. _

**Tap, tap, tap. **Holly knocked on the immense door made from the finest walnut. The door opened to reveal a beautiful woman in a flowy white skirt. Her soft blond curls fell over her shoulders, and she smiled warmly as she said, "Come in, Holly."

"Hello, Missus Fowl." The elfin said politely.

"Oh, please, call me Angeline," she said as she offered the disguised fairy a seat, "I want nothing of the formalities the boys always use on me. Now tell me, Holly, why are you dressed like…like that?"

"Artemis thought it would be a good idea to have on a disguise with all the humans coming over to attend the meeting." She answered as she sat down.

Angeline Fowl chuckled gently, like small, delicate bells tinkling in the cool spring breeze. "You must feel silly, being over eighty years old."

Holly giggled, "Do I ever!"

Beckett zoomed around the furniture carelessly with his arms stretched out at his sides, pretending to be an airplane. Light spilled generously into the room from a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the backyard. The room was luxuriously furnished with an antique English Tudor bed, 18th century armchairs, and antique Victorian light fixtures. Everything in this room looks like it belongs to a museum.

"The meeting has probably started already; we should go too."

"Yes, we should." Angeline agreed, and then picked up a squirming Beckett. Her attempts to calm the hyperactive toddler were laughable. The babe slipped out of his mother's grasps as effortlessly as a…a…a…slippery babe, and tried to escape to his own world of sophisticated aircrafts once again. But Holly matched his speed to stop him by the door.

"Hi, Beckett," she said as she held his close to block him from running through the halls like a madman, "Do you remember me?"

"You Holly!" he answered charmingly, and grabbed for her latex ears.

"Yes, very good Beckett!" she said as she brushed his pulling hands away, "But we're going to play a game today!"

"What game?" There's no mistaking the wonder and delight in his emerald eyes.

"I'm going to pretend I'm your bestest friend in the world!"

He giggled, "That silly! Myles bestest fend in the world!"

Holly almost teared up when she heard this. She tickled his ribs fondly, "And we're going to pretend I'm a human!" Holly struggled to sound genuinely happy.

Beckett giggled again, "Ok silly human bestest fend, we play airplane game!" And with that, both of them roamed the halls like madmen, to the conference room, with Angeline Fowl following behind them.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Sorry guys, that I haven't updated for some time now. Call it Summer fever if you want, but I've been hiking up trails and hanging out by the Great Lake these days. You know, embrace the nature before it's all gone. A little randonee a pied and natation could never hurt. Though it could hardly be called "faire de la natation" for me, it's more like...jump in the water and half drown myself. HAHA!

And finally, a character of my own: Mister Webb! Horray! A promethium board is like a overhead projection screen that can be hooked up to the computer by the way, if you didn't know. Anyways, I'll stop bothering you now... :D

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**MEANWHILE...**

A crowd of men stood, chatting noisily in the main lobby. It was strange to see a young boy amongst them. They boy had his dark hair slicked back, and was wearing one of his finer suits. He seemed unhappy, distressed even; no matter how hard he tried to remain expressionless. "Show your true feelings and you'll lose everything you have worked for," his father had once said to him. (Of course, that was right after he came home from an interview with the Dublin Police Force.) He didn't want to be there. For if his brother had never been kidnapped, he would not have to be there. But as you and I know, that last sentence is nothing but lies.

"Arty, me boy! I hardly recognized you!" grinned a toothless grandpa. Thick lens glasses, discoloration of the skin, _and_ a bad comb over. Of every old people stereotype you can name, he had it all. Artemis turned to see an old man leaning on his golden cane.

"Ah…Mister Webb, hello."

One other thing Mister Webb had was the large scar from the corner of his eye, leading down to his sunken cheekbone. If you ever ask him how he got it, he would tell you that the same guy that had cut off his arm did that to his face. Then he would shrug off his sleeve and hide his arm in his shirt, to better demonstrate to you exactly how armless he was. Sometimes he did it with his left arm, sometimes his right.

"My…how you've grown!" his watery, pale eyes examined the teenager as if he was his own grandson. I say "pale" because his eyes were the lightest shade of blue imaginable. In fact, if it were any paler, it would be translucent!

"Come here, come! Stand beside me. Look! I think you're taller than me!" the man bewildered.

Artemis chuckled, "Well if you weren't hunched over like that Mister Webb, I think you would still be an inch taller. Or at least the same height." Artemis liked Mister Webb. He is cold and deadly, but you can never tell with his adorable exterior. One does not mess around with Mister Webb. But to Artemis, he was his hero…after Butler of course.

"Here, pass this on to the twins, will you?" he secretively slipped him two gold coins. Chocolate ones. Artemis took them with a gloomy smile.

"Why are you so down boy? You didn't think I've forgotten about you, did you?" he said as he slipped Artemis another gold chocolate coin with a wink. "Aurum Est Potestas," he announced formally, "The pathetic fading remains I call my memory, at least, have not forgotten that…yet." Artemis laughed again, and took the coin with a courteous "Thank you."

"And you, Butler, if you had grown anymore, then you might have to change your name from Butler to Bloody Hell! Because that's the first thing people will say went the lift their heads up to look at you! You know, if you're interested, I still have a position for you in the league of big, tall, and scary bodyguards." he said in a sing-song voice.

Butler laughed at this, "No thank you, Mister Webb. I am already devoted to protecting little boys in fancy suits, no matter how much trouble they can stir up!"

"Ehh…Can't say I haven't tried," he shrugged it off casually.

The main lobby, like most part of the Fowl estate, was extravagantly decorated. Spotless white marble floors beneath many dark loafers; modern lighting fixtures clung on the white marble walls; and a collection of white marble statues are scattered throughout the space with the countless hidden cameras. (Call it the white marble room if you want.) Butler quickly scanned the room for any threats to his charge. Oh yes, definitely. As in, definitely a bodyguards worst nightmare. Everyone in the room had at least five weapons concealed awkwardly, and really too obviously, under their chichi silks. And of course, nearly all the charges were too arrogant to bother with a bulletproof vest, including Artemis. He took another quick glance around the room, and chuckled silently in his head. _Amateurs_, he thought. Many of the bodyguards either had their chests puffed out, showing off their muscles, or were holding intense staring contests, or both. (As if saying, don't you mess with me! I have bigger muscles _and_ I can keep my eyes open longer than you! Ha! Beat that!) And yet, not paying the slightest attention to their employer's safety. _This is nothing but a game to them. No wonder Webb wanted to hire me. Forget professional bodyguards, they can hardly be called bodyguards with their pompous buffoonery_, he thought silently. But he stood unreadable, overlooking the shoulders of his young charge.

"Ahem," Artemis cleared his throat authoritatively, "Good afternoon Gentlemen."

Scattered greetings mumbled itself across the room.

"My father will be with you shortly. But in the meantime, let us continue forth to the conference room. Refreshments will be served."

Mister Webb glanced at Artemis and smiled. _What a smart little boy_, he thought. _Nothing gets these fat pigs to move more quickly than fish eggs and ground duck lung on a cracker._

Artemis led the troop into a room dominated by a long, mahogany conference desk, surrounded by matching seats with comfy cushions, and an ostentatious promethium board stood proudly in the front of the room. The gold linings in the ivory wallpaper shone with great brilliance with the light blazing in from a floor-to-ceiling window covering the entire back wall. But no one stopped to marvel at the wallpaper; they were simply too busy speed walking over to the little snack table in the corner, while figuring out how to cram truckloads of snails down their gullet. Juliet, serving the fruit punch, decided to wear a shocked expression. These people act like they haven't eaten in years! They were like vacuums! And there were so many of them! Why? She searched the room for an explanation from Artemis, but he was nowhere to be seen.


End file.
